You may have noticed that I have shut down my facebook and twitter pages - you may have gotten a de-friending message - so sorry! I don't want to de - friend anyone!!!!
Social networking is interesting - and an interesting term. It seems the more I socially network through sites like twitter, myspace, and facebook - the less I actually know my friends.
I seem to have a lot of casual friends - people who used to be termed acquaintances until the advent of such social networking, and very few of these people really want to be a true friend. The problem is that facebook and twitter are cheap substitutes for real friendship; they entice the participant to pretend that all of these other people actually care what is going on in their lives.
Compare it to casual sex. - Why don't we do this?
A- it is clearly against the Bible
B- it would really hurt our spouses
C - it would really hurt us.
Compare that to having facebook as your primary connection with "friends"
If you are a Christian I think it cheapens our relationships with each other - how can you disciple someone through facebook? Not all friendships are for that - can you be a facebook mentor? Not all friendships are for that either - Can you be a cyber shoulder to cry on? Maybe...
Which would you prefer a cyber shoulder or a real shoulder? Heck most of my friends on facebook lived less than 20 minutes from my house - if they need a shoulder to cry on I should go see them.
I think it really hurts our friends - our real friends, and our friendships if the primary way we communicate is facebook - facebook is public - everyone can see it - and there are some things that you just don't want to talk about there. And it is a little degrading to post your thoughts like a billboard looking for a friend for hire.
Lastly it hurts us - it hurts us because we begin to accept the cyber world as the real world, we begin to settle for an acquaintance type of friendship.
Here is my challenge to all you who are thinking I am nuts right now.
Answer the following about your closest friend
How much money do they make?
Are they or have they struggled financially?
When was the last time they got in a fight with their spouse?
What do they fear most in the world?
What do they hope for most?
What main thing do they struggle with every day?
What are the name and ages of their children?
When are their kids birthdays?
How are their kids doing in school?
When is their birthday? - without the facebook reminder!
What do they believe about heaven, hell, God, religion?
What foods do they make well?
Are they allergic to anything?
Do they talk to their mom?
Have you talked to them in the last 5 days?
What are the names of their pets?
What are the last three jobs they have held?
I propose this - if you can't answer these questions about your CLOSEST friends, they aren't really that close to you. In all honesty - I can't answer all of these about my closest friends - which says to me - I need to get busy working on my real friendships - not wasting my time on facebook.
So to all you who now think I am certifiable, see you in the real world =]
Amanda
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